A Goddess's Blood
by BluePuffBall
Summary: "She should have died a long time ago…But they kept on sending her back. Even though there was nothing left for her. Even though she had given up on life long ago." M for violence, gore and language. Spoilers for the game. Formerly The Blood of a Goddess.
1. Prologue

_**Disclaimer: If I owned this, why would I be here?**_

**Prologue**

_Drip-Drip_. 302.

_Drip-Drip_. 304.

_Drip-Drip_. 306.

Small droplets of liquid hit the rough hewn stone in the darkness. _315_. She was carefully counting them. _323_. Even when it sounded more like a storm than a drizzle. _345_. Carefully concentrating on the sound was one of the only things she could do. _352_. The deep blackness of her prison made hearing one of the few faculties she could use. _381_. That, along with taste and smell. _389_. Though, those were more of a burden than a gift. _406_. Who wants to taste the disgusting gruel she was fed? _432_. Or constantly smell the same thing, without adjusting to the scent? _450_. Being _unable_ to adjust to the scent, because her body couldn't stop being reminded? _458_. It was just another form of torture that _he_ subjected her to. _462_. Of a much smaller kind than when _he_ took her out of the darkness and into the blinding light. _496_.

_Light_. Funny, that. _499_. In a ironic twisted sort of way. _506_. Light is what those she was closest to once called her. _517_. Light is associated with hope. _531_. Light is _not_ associated with negative things. _544_. _Light_, however, was now seemingly irreversibly linked to a nightmare in her mind. _567_. Perhaps the warping of her views was heartbreaking. _578_. Or maybe it was disgusting, that she had allowed her mental shields to erode, therefore permitting the distortion to happen. _600_. Just like counting how many drops of her own blood hitting the filthy ground was disgusting. _621_. Or maybe _that_ was what was heartbreaking. _643_. It didn't matter. _644_. Nothing mattered. _650_. Not anymore. _652_.

Death's embrace was something that should have come long ago. _670_. With the amount of blood she lost – _676_ – the amount and quality of food she ate – _681_ – along with time _he_ spent torturing her – _684_. _685_. _686_. _687_. Death should have taken her long ago. _692_.

_Dying_ was something she was used to. _695._ In fact, for her spirit to leave her body and her heart to stop beating was a normal occurrence. _708_. An everyday occurrence. _710_. **57.** It was the number times she would have been declared dead in any other place. _735_. Here, she was revived. _739_. Here she _fought_ to live. _752_. Even if the fight was just pure stubbornness and returning over and over again to a pain-filled life. _758_. _Why_ she kept on returning – _760_ – kept on fighting – _766_ – kept on living – _768_ – was a question she had considered for hours. _774_. Or what felt like hours in this hell. _779_.

Hell. _780_. A word defined as any place of torment or misery. _785_. She used to think Pulse – _Gran _Pulse she corrected herself – was hell. _789_. Now she knew better. _795_. It was the events and people that made a place what it was. _804_. Cocoon was not heaven. _805_. If such a place even existed. _809._ No, Cocoon was not heaven. _816_. It was just a place where humans had been leeches off of the Fal'cie. _822_. They had been content with that life. _834_. They had loved it even. _837_. They had loved the easy, safe, normal life. _841._ Hatred and fear is what had met anything unknown or associated with something vague. _856_. That fear, that hatred was what had brought her here. _854_.

The Purge. _855_. Lake Bresha. _856_. The Vile Peaks. _857._ The Gapra Whitewood. _858_. Palumpolum. _859_. The _Palamecia. 860._The Fifth Ark. _861_. Gran Pulse. _862_. Eden. _863_. Orphan's Cradle. _864_.

Those events, that journey, had changed her. Learning to let go of the icy soldier was hard. The iron walls that had been firmly in place since she was fifteen had insured that. But each passing trial and place had broken down those walls. Shattered them, leaving her with only small fragments of them. Or perhaps it was the people who had demolished her shields. _921_.

Sazh. _922_. Vanille. _923._ Hope. _924._ Odin. _925_. Fang. _926_. Even Snow had done something…Even if the man was a buffoon. _934_. But above all others, it was Serah who had changed the soldier back into someone closer to Claire. _941_. Into something closer to what she had once been. It was ironic. _960_. For the very person that she had created the alter-ego for in the first place had blended the two back into one person. The soldier was more prominent, but Claire was far easier to coax out. _967_.

That was years ago. _970_. Centuries ago. _972_. Millennia ago. _975_. Long before _this _had happened. Now the people she considered family – the rag-tag gang that had been l'cie with her plus their families and Serah – likely thought her dead. _998_. Save for Fang and Vanille. _1000_. And that was because they wouldn't _let_ her die a true death. _1010_. They kept on sending her back. _1014_. Back to the hell her life had become. _1021_.

Even though nothing remained for her here. _1027_. Even though she just wanted the pain to stop. _1032_. She might have still fought. _1035_. The two Pulsians might insure that she kept on breathing. _1043_. But the truth was, she had given up on life long ago. _1047_. Claire 'Lightning' Farron only lived because of her own fractured willpower. _1056_. And because two crystallized l'cie's stubbornness. _1062_.

* * *

******Hmmm**_._** I'm not completely sure if I'll continue this story to the end. That depends on your reaction to it. This is perhaps one of the shortest chapters that I've written and published. It's probably going to be the shortest one in the story. It's just an intro to set the mood. And yes I know that the title is lame. I might change it later.**

_******FIRST REVISED: 10/13/11**_

**I decided that this story needed to be revamped. Same basic idea, some of the same wording but more and better content along with a cooler, better (in my opinion) name that flows better. I hope you enjoy it. Thanks to the people who are actually still reading this, despite my long hiatus.**


	2. Chapter 1

**_Disclaimer: This chapter is pretty much the end of FFXIII. The game is in no way, shape, or form mine._**

**Chapter One**

The rolling, green plains of the Archylte Steppe were strangely peaceful. No strange beasts or old Pulsian machines were roaming in the vicinity. The only things that disrupted the natural landscape were the four crystals. L'cie, who had completed their focus. They had likely had the same focus, considering how close they were to each other. The final thing that disturbed the land was the enormous crystal pillar that held a planet aloft.

A disembodied voice disturbed the strange piece that had overtaken the Steppe. _"Wake up."_

Seconds later, the crystal closest to the planet _moved_. The l'cie drew in breath causing the crystal cocoon that incased her to fade into nothingness. Her hand was hovering over her chest, as had become habit. It was – after all – where her brand lay.

Strawberry-blond hair was parted in front of her left shoulder and a swirling, crimson red cape furled out from that same shoulder. A gunblade was sheathed at her waist, gloves with brass knuckles covered her hands, military combat boots incased her feet, and a white jacket adorned her torso, along with a black turtleneck. A brown miniskirt and a red pouch strapped to her left thigh completed her attire. Two things were left that identified her: the strange necklace reminiscent of lightning with a pink crystal embedded in it and the white pauldron with two glowing yellow strips that symbolized her former rank of sergeant in the Guardian Corps.

Lightning Farron's sapphire eyes flicked around in confusion before landing on the crystallized planet. _Is that…Cocoon?_ Realizing that it was indeed the remnants of her former home, Light gave a small smile and said, "They did it. They saved the world."

"No, they gave us a new one." Snow Villiers said as he walked toward his soon-to-be sister-in-law. The other three crystals were nowhere in sight, suggesting that the three men now standing near Lightning were the l'cie that had been incased in crystal.

Snow could easily be called a giant and not very classy one either. His tan trench coat, black bandana that had blonde hair peaking out from it, along with the black gloves, huge boots, and blonde scruff that was almost a beard but not _quite_ one made him look like a someone who got into bar fights for fun. But his kind eyes stopped him from being construed as a violent gang member. He wore two necklaces, one with cat on it and another that was oddly reminiscent of the crystallized Cocoon.

Sazh grinned as he joked. "That's one gift I'll forgive 'em for not wrappin'."

He was a black man, with an afro that served as a nest to a chocobo chick, a green coat showed that he was once a pilot and two handguns were strapped to his thighs.

"Yeah," Hope chuckled softly. He was the youngest of the group not even old enough to be called 'man'. Silver hair, orange coat, emerald green eyes, tan pants, a black pouch strapped to his left thigh, black and white gloves, and shoes that showed he had quite a bit of growing left to do were the characteristic of Hope.

Lightning heard the disembodied voice again, and recognized it as Vanille. _"This is as much as we can do. The rest, is up to you."_

Hope glanced around and asked, "Does this mean we completed our focus?"

The blond giant looked at the transports that were now carrying soldiers and citizens down to Gran Pulse and then up at his former home. "Cocoon's seen better days, that's for sure."

Sazh nodded in agreement, eyes also on the crystal pillar. "Yeah, I'd say that qualifies as a demolition. Focus complete."

A disembodied scoff echoed around them. _"Whatever you want to believe."_

Fang's accented voice was deeper than Vanille's, making it easier to distinguish the two.

"Tch, it really is a miracle." Light's voice had a tinge of disbelief but it held more happiness than had been heard in it for a while.

Hope lifted up his left hand to examine his wrist, where his brand had once lain. His gasp drew the attention of his companions. "My brand! It's gone!"

The others quickly looked at their own brands. Lightning raised her hand to her chest, Snow looked at his left forearm, and Sazh looked down at his chest. All of them were gone. Grins were exchanged between the men, but the only woman offered only a reserved smile. For Light, that was pretty much a grin anyway.

"_It's easy to lose sight of things in a world as wide as this one."_ Vanille's voice interrupted their celebrating. _"But if you keep going, you're sure to find what you're looking for, sooner or later."_

Looking towards Cocoon, the former l'cie noticed two silhouettes in the morning light.

"What – " Anything else Lightning might have said was cut off when they heard a young boy's voice.

"- Whole big bunch of chocobos."

Sazh's eyes widened, "It – "

The taller figure interrupted him this time, "Hey, look there." she said pointing. Both the woman and the boy started to run toward the group.

Snow squinted against the light and then yelled out, "Serah!"

The exuberant man started running towards his beloved as Light said, "It is." The smile on her face was small, but far happier than anything seen on her face for the entire journey.

Sazh had also started running, only towards the boy instead. "Dajh!"

The responding cry of "Daddy!" could have made lesser men cry after such a long abscene but Sazh only knelt down and pulled his son into a one behemoth of a hug.

"Snow!" The woman identified as Serah cried out. She wore a necklace identical to the giant's.

The man responded with equal fervor. "Serah!"

When they collided Snow lifted his fiancée up into his arms and spun her around.

Hope ran forward a few steps filling his namesake flood him as he hoped the miracles would continue. His face fell when he realized that Fang and Vanille weren't going to appear. He heard Light walk up next to him as he said, "They're gone, aren't they?"

The soldier wasn't any good at comforting, especially when she felt the same aching loss. So she put her arm around him and spoke one word. "Hey."

He looked up towards the pillar that he knew housed their two friends. "I guess they meant for this to be goodbye. Then again, we've changed our fates before."

The reunion between two lovers had finished by now, and Serah pulled Snow towards her sister saying, "Come on."

Snow's response of "'Kay." brought to mind one word. _Whipped._

The young woman let go of her fiancée's hand as she all but threw her arms around Light. "I missed you." She said quietly.

The soldier responded just as quietly. "Serah," the two began to pull apart. "I'm sorry."

The sadness on her face conveyed just how _sorry_ Lightning felt, and how she thought she would never be able to earn forgiveness. The funny thing about families though, is that you're always forgiven. Serah's soft, "It's okay," proved that to be true.

Bouncing – literally – into the conversation Snow said, "Hey, come on, the apologies can wait, we've got a wedding to plan. You _are_ going to allow it, right?"

A slight hesitation marked the question, as Light's favorite punching bag at the beginning of the journey had been _him._ The soldier adopted her patented pose of one foot slight forward and the opposite hand on her hip.

While she did that, the little boy – who was on his father's shoulders – spoke. "He said wedding Dad."

Hope smiled as he said, "You don't waste any time, do you?"

"Nooo, I don't." He still looked excited, but it was dimming as he realized that despite all they'd been through, Light still might think that he wasn't good enough for her sister.

Sazh's voice had a matter of fact tone when he talked. "That's right, just charge in, guns blazing."

Since the soldier's silence had last just a bit too long to be comfortable, Snow rushed to say, "I swear to you, I _will_ make her happy."

Finally, Lightning's stone mask cracked and she smiled. "I believe you."

Serah's gasp was small, but she had never thought that her sister would say something nice to her fiancée. Her mouth dropped open when she heard the next word from Claire's mouth.

"Congrats."

Snow let out a great whoop of joy and was about to hug her before the raised eyebrow made him realize that that might not be the best idea.

"_When prayers turn to promises, not even fate can stand in their way."_

Fang's voice was the one that interrupted the l'cie's celebrations this time. The four froze with Serah and Dajh looking on in confusion.

"_We held the light of hope in our hearts and achieved the impossible. Now, we live on – to greet a new dawn."_

Vanille's voice floated around them in the quite serenity. They waited to see if either of the two would say anything else but when nothing was forth coming, the all four's bodies seemed to sag as one. Light was the first one to straighten up. "They gave their lives so that we could have this new world. Don't let the sadness of no longer having Vanille and Fang with us crush you down. _Remember_ them, _live_ for them, but _never_ stop living _because_ of them."

Sazh, Snow, and Hope looked toward their leader, knowing she was right but still unable to let the sorrow go. "Besides, if you did that, they'd probably wake up just to kick your butt. And if they don't, then _I_ will."

As Lightning looked on the smiling faces of the most important people in her life, minus two, she knew that after the nightmare of the l'cie journey she was finally home. There was no roof, no house, but if there was one thing she had learned it was that the people were what made home, home.

* * *

**This is a completly new chapter. It's more of a Second Prologue but hopefully you guys like it. I did my best to insure that it was as close to the game's events as possible. **

**Posted: 10/13/11**


	3. Chapter 2

_**Disclaimer: Nothing's mine...Save for the Crazy Plot Bunnies...**_

**Chapter Two**

_**Five Years Later**_

Captain Lightning Farron glared at the report sitting in front of her. _Why, _why_ did they have to put _me _in charge of them?_ The source of her irritation was the special branch of the Guardian Corps that had been formed about six months after Cocoon's fall. It's name – NORA.

The original meaning of 'No Obligations, Rules, or Authority' had faded and her thoughts on the group had changed quite a bit. NORA allowed citizens to volunteer to patrol the border of New Cocoon and receive training in self-defense without actually enlisting. It was a good thing but since Snow, Gadot, Lebreau, Maqui, and Yuj were the main leaders of NORA, the group still caused Light endless headaches.

Normal Corps members interacted with NORA members with ease, but Captain Farron was the military officer in charge of the damn thing, which meant any injuries, destruction of property, or – worse yet – deaths of NORA members were her responsibility.

Her only saving grace was that she had a company of actual soldiers that were far less…Volatile…to take with her on any missions outside of New Coccon. Since being outside the giant city that surrounded the pillar that held Cocoon aloft meant not having to deal with NORA, it was rare to find Lightning inside the city limits. It also meant that her paper work soon piled up on her desk. Reports, supply requisition orders, and transfer requests had completely obscured the dark lacquered wood of her desk from sight when she had returned two weeks ago after returning from a month long mission in the wilds of Gran Pulse. She was only just finishing up that mass of busy work now so she could take a short vacation for her birthday, which was only three days away. In fact, this was the last day before her short break started.

Light wouldn't have cared if her she worked on her birthday, but Serah had insisted, and Lightning wasn't going to refuse something so simple to her little sister. Especially after the disaster that was her twenty-first birthday, five years ago. _Worst birthday ever, indeed._

Returning to her work she signed off on the report that Gadot had submitted before standing and moving to the window. After being promoted – twice – she had received a rather large office, with a beautiful view of the crystallized Cocoon. It had been a rather tumultuous affair to get reinstated back into the GC at first but after she had easily repelled an attack from a Behemoth King and a small group of Gorgonopsids the higher-ups had realized what an asset she was and quickly bestowed her former rank of sergeant on her.

The Guardian Corps had absorbed the remnants of PSICOM in the months after their home's fall – after all there was no need of a special task force to prevent invasions from Pulse when there was obviously no one in Pulse _to_ invade. Officially her quick rise in the ranks of the Corps was due to her _ability to think swiftly under presser and the knowledge she had of Pulse._ That was what was on the official report. Unofficially, it was because officers were getting themselves killed quickly and the GC need competent, experienced soldiers to take their place.

Light pushed her slightly morbid thoughts out of her mind as she looked at the glittering crystal pillar that held Cocoon up in the sky. Her face relaxed a little as she thought of her two Pulsian friends that rested where the pillar met her home-world. Those two had made a miracle happen and because of them, she was whole again.

The captain could never – would never – forgive herself for what happened on her twenty-first birthday. For what she had said – and done – to Serah. For not _believing_ in her little sister. She was her sister. Her last remaining blood relative. The one she had given up her childhood for, her dreams for, so that Serah might have a normal, happy life. Instead of listening and understanding, she had closed her mind and ignored Serah. Instead of helping her sister, she had threatened her. Snow had believed his fiancée but her rage had prevented her from doing so.

Serah had forgiven her long ago but she still couldn't bring herself to forgive, well, herself. Shaking her head, Light put those thoughts out of her mind to join the ones on dying officers. Thinking on more happy thoughts, she remembered Serah marrying Snow. Two years after Fang and Vanille's sacrifice, things had settled down enough for the two to have their dream wedding. Which _Lightning _had paid for. The captain wasn't bitter about it, and she never brought it up in conversation, but it still made her smirk slightly at the fact that the _hero _couldn't provide his beloved with everything she wanted.

Pilots were sorely needed in the aftermath, so Sazh had taken up his old job. He flew all over Gran Pulse with Dajh by his side, because the boy was rarely out of his sight for long. The incident at Euride Gorge had made Sazh paranoid and rightly so.

Hope had found his father a few weeks after they had awakened from crystal stasis. Bartholomew was now on the Council, the replacement government for the Sanctum. Hope had gone through a massive growth spurt making him taller than her by a few inches. It was strange to look up at the man she had once protected. He was attending the New Eden University – which was abbreviated NEU.

The Council was a group of people who were elected to the position – one from each former city – to represent the people. In order to make the acclimation to Gran Pulse easier they had named the districts of the sprawling city after the old cities – only with a _New_ tacked on in front. _New_ Bodhum. _New_ Palumpolum. _New_ Nautlis. _New_ Eden.

She had thought it ridiculous at first. A political move with no substance to _try_ and comfort the citizens. The key word there was _try_. She doubted that names were going to help people settle into life on Gran Pulse. Now, she admitted that it did help. The comfort ordinary citizens felt from the familiar names insured that there were no huge riots, rebellions, or any other types of major public unrest. It didn't mean that people liked Pulse, but they were getting used to its feral ecosystem.

As for herself, Light enjoyed living on Gran Pulse. It was beautiful in a wild sort of way. Even if it was brutal to, because only the strongest survived. And there was always something for her to do. Whether it be paperwork or patrolling the borders of the city or leading teams for resources, Lightning was never without something to entertain herself with. Sometimes it was even fun. Of course having to survive with only her gunblade and five other companions – even if they were l'cie – in Gran Pulse's wilderness for several months had probably skewed her ideas of 'fun' and 'life-threatening'.

There were colonies outside of New Cocoon. But they were all extremely small. Few people wanted to try and brave the wilderness of 'hell'. Most citizens had overcome the old superstations – and those that hadn't were likely confined to mental asylums – but had grouped together for safety. The small numbers of the colonies made it hard to defend them effectively, especially since the majority of the GC's troops were stationed in or around New Cocoon.

Even though the death toll from unnatural causes – like, say being eaten by a Behemoth King – had risen significantly since the fall, Light had no qualms about what she had done. She would do it again in a heartbeat.

_No Regrets._ During her time as a l'cie that had quickly become one of her mantras. The others had adopted it as well. To live by your own choices, to make your own fate. Together, they had done the impossible, making Cocoon crash down and then Fang and Vanille had stopped it from shattering by transforming into Ragnarok. They had lifted the tight-fisted rule of the Fal'cie and had still saved the people. Through her two friends' sacrifice they had been saved. Ironic that the very thing Barthandelus wished to happen had brought about their salvation.

Glancing at the digital clock on the wall, Light realized that her shift was over. Looking around to insure that she hadn't forgotten anything important she quickly attached her gunblade's scabbard to her belt and left. She might not have been all that productive towards the end but she had finished her work. Besides, she had promised Serah to not pull double-shifts and all-nighters anymore.

The Guardian Corps headquarters was one of the larger buildings near the center of New Cocoon. Four large barracks were positioned around the edge of the city, one at each of the cardinal directions. The main building had 35 floors, and was sprawled on a plot of land about three-hundred yards squared. Lightning's office was on the 19th floor.

There was an elevator in the building. In fact there were several but the captain preferred taking the stairs. The elevators were often crowded to over-flowing and stopped at pretty much every floor, making it faster and more enjoyable to take the stairs.

Light nodded to the two guards at the main entrance as the saluted her. The lobby was unimpressive by the higher class's standards it would be called drab and stark – purely functional. But the lower and middle class were awed when they entered the building. The white marble floors and the walls painted gold with the insignia of the Corps were pristine. The lights reflected off the clean floors and the pictures with information hanging on the walls were just as spotless as the ground.

The captain's least favorite picture was the one hanging above the main desk. It's main subject was _her_ on a cliff, with the crystallized Cocoon in the background. It was taken when she and her 'family' had been on a picnic. Serah had begged and pleaded for Lightning to pose for the picture. It had taken her three hours of constant whining, puppy dog eyes, and nagging before she got her older sister to give in. Even then it was only after Serah had started to cry that Light had acquiesced.

The soldier was wearing her uniform but the pauldron had two strips of yellow instead of three strips of blue, indicating that she was still a sergeant. She held her Blazefire Saber in its sword form. Her cerulean eyes were hard but the small smile playing on her face prevented them from being cold. It was an intimidating picture, put up in honor of her brave deeds, after she had gotten several medals and awards for her actions.

She hated it. Light was a very private person, and the honor of having it up in the main lobby was more like a curse. The only thing she liked about it was the stylized script that she had insisted be on it if they were going to insist that it go up. _When prayers turn to promises, not even fate can stand in the way. _

Of course, if she had known how many random people – both civilians and military personal alike – would ask her what the words meant, she might not have been quite so adamant about the words adorn her picture. After the first few times, Lightning had settled on a single response, to be repeated over and over. _"I can tell you what they mean to me. Only you can decide what they mean for yourself."_

Even if they asked her to elaborate, she refused saying that the only way they could understand was to figure it out for themselves. Only five other people truly understood those words, and they were the only ones who knew who had uttered them. Fang had surprised them all with the eloquence of her last words to her companions.

The captain snorted softly to herself as she began the short walk home. People were still looking for guidance. Too long on a Fal'cie's leash had made them unable to think for themselves. Hope's idea that they were pets was completely accurate. Without their masters, the people of Cocoon were lost, and thus had begun to look for new leaders. Like she had when she had been branded a Pulse l'cie. However, unlike the people she had eventually found her path by herself and became the master of her own fate.

Fifteen minutes later she arrived at her humble adobe. _Humble _was an exaggeration considering that it could easily be called a mansion from the sheer size of it. Lightning hadn't wanted to let go of her past completely and so had handed an architect the plans for her old house. The house that her parents had lived in. There were minor changes but the layout was the same and for that the soldier was glad.

For all of her stoicism, Light was rather sentimental. Especially when it came to her parents. She always wondered if they would be proud of her. She had tried to complete their dying request of protecting Serah, but the woman always wondered. Especially after the l'cie incident.

She allowed her thoughts to trail off, not needing to look far to find what had made her so absorbed in the past. It was three days before her 26th birthday. Three days before Serah had dropped the dual bombs of being a Pulse l'cie and engaged to Snow five years ago. Three days until she had completely and utterly failed her sister five years ago. And only four days since Lightning had tried to set things right by joining the Purge.

* * *

**Not exactly sure how well this chapter turned out. I like the prologue better - but then I always enjoy writing the gruesome/depressing stuff more than memories. Seeing as how I made no mention of it last chapter: any reviews are welcome. Even flames (while I hope that those would be at the minimum). If you see something wrong with spelling, inconsistencies within the plot please feel free to point them out. I'm mainly writing this for my enjoyment, but I would also like to improve as a writer.**

_**FIRST REVISED: 10/13/11**_

**Hopefully this is better than the original. And the original of this was originally Chapter One if you're confused.**


	4. Chapter 3

**_Disclaimer: Not mine._  
**

**Chapter Three**

Two days before her birthday, Lightning rose with the sun. The action was completely unnecessary because she did not have to work that day. Nor any of the days before her birthday, because of Serah's insistence. The soldier probably indulged her little sister too often but she couldn't help it. Her twenty-first continued to haunt her and it would likely continue to haunt her for the rest of her life.

Light retrieved a cup of coffee in the kitchen, a necessity, before wandering through her home. It was a huge building and without Serah living there, a mostly empty one. The pink-haired woman hadn't visited several rooms for months, if not years with a purpose other than to clean. Her work with the Corps was more important, along with keeping up with the friends she loved like family.

The fact that the single occupant was rarely there showed through, with consistently unlighted rooms and a clean, sterile normal found in houses about to be sold. Despite the rarity of extended stays, Lightning always set aside time each week to dust. She could never stand a dirty house.

She was not paying attention as she wandered through the ornate hallways, the lights flashing on automatically as she passed. Her footsteps echoed slightly despite their bareness on the stone floors. Light blinked in surprise when she realized what room her wandering feet had brought her to. She felt that it was the most important room in the house – despite long periods no visits from the lone wolf-soldier. In fact she hadn't visited it for approximately four months.

It was a cozy place, with a few overstuffed love seats and a couch surrounding a small glass table. The deep green of the carpet contrasted nicely with the blue walls. Several bookshelves were pushed up against two of those walls filled to overflowing with reading materials, datalogs, pictures, and reports. It was organized chaos on those shelves – of the type that no one would expect to find in Captain Farron's home. A window faced the east, and so the room was bathed in the morning light.

The two most important features of this room were the grand piano and a full-size portrait. Lightning stayed near the door, drinking in the sight. Four people were featured in the picture, a couple and two young girls that looked like miniatures of the woman. The man appeared to be in his mid-thirties, the dark hair just beginning to be sprinkled with gray, with mischievous blue eyes. He wore the uniform of a Lieutenant in the Guardian Corps.

The woman's hair was a light pink, enough so that when the light hit it, sections appeared to be blonde. Her eyes were almost exactly the same as the man whose arm was wrapped around her shoulder, only they sparkled with happiness. She wore a white tank-top and jeans.

The two girls were twelve and nine, and almost identical save for a few differences. Both had their mother's hair, and their delicate features were a mixture of both of their parents but there were slight differences. The elder took more after their father with sharper, more angular features, while the nine year-old's features were a little softer, rounder, taking more after their mother. The younger girl had inherited her mother's kind eyes, and the twelve year-old was gifted with the father's impish eyes. The final dissimilarity was that the elder was a few inches taller than the younger. Without these minuscule discrepancies the two could have been identical twins. They wore the same clothes as their mother, with tank-tops – white for the younger and black for the twelve year-old – and jeans.

Light continued to look at the portrait for a few seconds before walking up to it, reaching up with her free hand to hover over the mother's face. _Her _mother's face. Who would have guessed that three years after this picture was taken this happy family would be torn apart when first the mother died and then the father a few months later. _Mom, Dad, Serah…We all looked so happy. _

Aaron and Averia Farron were good people, always ready to help those in need. Their deaths had been the beginning of the schism between the two – up to that point – inseparable sisters.

The soldier was did not regret giving up on her education for Serah. Nor did she feel that joining the Corps was the wrong thing to do. She did, however, feel guilty about letting their relationship deteriorate to the point that it took Serah turning into a l'cie and getting engaged for Lightning to realize exactly how much distance there was between the two sisters.

The pink-haired woman shook herself out of her memories and walked to the piano. It was the only instrument in the entire house and the people who did know about it assumed that it was strictly for decoration. Neither of the Farrons had told their adopted family that the piano was their mother's. And that their mother had been a world famous singer for several years.

Setting her now empty cup on the table, Light sat down at the bench, staring at the keys. Black and white. Ebony and ivory. The contrast was stark, making her think about how different she was from her sister. Once there was time where the two were closer than twins, when they had shared everything. That time was gone now, had been gone for years. Ever since Claire had died and been replaced by the aloof Lightning.

She squeezed her eyes shut, as if the simple action would push these thoughts from her mind. But they stayed. After all there was no denying the truth. _I'm sorry, Serah._

Light was opened her eyes and placed her fingers on the keys, hoping to lose herself, her thoughts, her feelings, her very _essence_ in music. No one who looked at the stoic soldier would even think of her being a talented musician. Serah had once said that she was the best pianist in the family because she seemed pour her _soul_ into what she played. It had been Claire's dream to become a professional musician but that hope had shattered after the deaths of her parents. Now Lightning only allowed Claire out when she sat in front of a piano.

As involved as she was with her music, Light didn't notice when the front door opened, the footsteps that became louder with each passing second, or the shadow that darkened the doorway to her sanctuary. Only when she had finished the song did the woman look up to see the onlooker. It wasn't easy to startle the soldier but having her little sister just _appear_ there made her jump.

"Serah, I didn't hear you come in…Serah?"

Lightning's voice trailed off after realizing that her sister had tears streaming down her face. The protective instincts that had been present ever since the other girl was born kicked in and Light was by Serah's side in an instant.

"Serah, are you alright? What's wrong? If it was Snow I swear I'll castrate him _before_ feeding him to-"

Her voice was cut off when Serah had thrown her arms around Light. The soldier was surprised but accepted the contact, trying to calm her sister down. It had been years since she was this hysterical. Lightning looked at Serah with concern after she pulled away.

"I'm fine Claire. Just surprised." The twenty-three year-old's voice was astonishingly strong. Light rose an eyebrow both questioning her statement and in disbelief of it.

The woman laughed at the disbelief of her sister before replying to the unasked question. "Really, I am. It's just…" Serah's voice faded as she visibly struggled to find words before saying, "It's been so long since I've heard you play. I'd forgotten just how beautiful it was, your music. You were – are – even better than Mom was."

The captain allowed a small smile to grace her lips as she glanced back over at the instrument. "Thanks," was the only answer she could think of for a complement of that magnitude. Averia had been a well-known musician before she had died.

The two Farrons stood in a comfortable silence before Serah tentatively asked, "Claire? Do you think…Could you play that song? You know the one that Mom wrote about her and Dad? I mean, you don't have to. I just wanted to hear it again..."

Lightning thought for a moment before nodding slowly and retaking her seat in front of the piano. _What harm could it do?_ Her fingers hesitantly found the keys that started the song. After a few bars, Light inhaled deeply and began to sing.

"_**I know there's something in the wake of your smile.  
I get a notion from the look in your eyes, yea.  
You've built a love but that love falls apart.  
Your little piece of heaven turns too dark."**_

Serah watched as her sister began to truly _feel_ the song. They had grown up listening to their mother's songs and this one had been her favorite. She smiled as she remembered the day that Claire and she had actually found enough courage to ask Averia why she sang it so much.

_The pink haired woman smiled at her two children. For a ten and seven year-old they were pretty insightful. "I play that song the most, Serah, Claire, because it is the one that is closest to my heart…You see, I wrote that after I agreed to marry your father."_

_The two sisters looked at each other and then at their mother. Claire was the clearly selected to be one to ask why but Averia continued before she had to summon up her courage to actually pose the question. "When I first met your father, it wasn't by chance. He was assigned by the Guardian Corps to protect me. I figured that there wouldn't be any problems. But than I fell for him…I ran away, intending to never see him again. I ignored my heart. But when he found me and proposed, I couldn't say no, and I wrote this song."_

_Both of the girls smiled before Serah asked, "But Mommy? Haven't you always loved Daddy?"_

_Averia laughed at the innocence that her children displayed. "No, but it seems that way. Now come here so I can teach you how to play this song."_

"_**Listen to your heart  
when he's calling for you.  
Listen to your heart  
there's nothing else you can do.  
I don't know where you're going  
and I don't know why,  
but listen to your heart  
before you tell him goodbye."**_

Serah smiled at the memory as she continued to watch Claire play. Lightning had her place, and this was not it. The woman sitting at that piano was Claire there was no doubt about that. Only she could play with such pure emotion.

_**"Sometimes you wonder if this fight is worthwhile.  
The precious moments are all lost in the tide, yea.  
They're swept away and nothing is what is seems,  
the feeling of belonging to your dreams.**_

**_Listen to your heart_**  
**_when he's calling for you._**  
**_Listen to your heart_**  
**_there's nothing else you can do._**  
**_I don't know where you're going_**  
**_and I don't know why,_**  
**_but listen to your heart_**  
**_before you tell him goodbye."_**

Lightning allowed all of her barriers to fade away. The emotions that she usually kept under lock and key were allowed out and every little feeling could be heard in the music. It had been years since she had played this song and it surprised her that she could remember it so perfectly.

_**"And there are voices  
that want to be heard.  
So much to mention  
but you can't find the words.  
The scent of magic,  
the beauty that's been  
when love was wilder than the wind.**_

_**Listen to your heart**_  
_**when he's calling for you.**_  
_**Listen to your heart**_  
_**there's nothing else you can do.**_  
_**I don't know where you're going**_  
_**and I don't know why,**_  
_**but listen to your heart**_  
_**before you tell him goodbye.**_

_**Listen to your heart, mm-mmmmmm**_

_**I don't know where you're going**_  
_**and I don't know why,**_  
_**but listen to your heart**_  
_**before you tell him goodbye."**_

Throughout the entire time she was singing, Light did not hesitate. Not until the very end did she allow herself to break. When she did, Serah was there. The hardened soldier allowed her sister to hold her while she regained her composure.

"Thank you, Claire." Serah's whisper could barely be heard but it was enough for Lightning to pull herself back together. She didn't even reprimand Serah for using her real name.

"Since you made me take today off, I assume that you have something you want to do?" Lightning asked her emotional barriers back in place.

"Yes!" Serah's voice was filled with excitement as she chattered about what they were going to be doing together. Light allowed herself a small chuckle at her sister's child-like exuberance as they walked out of her home, stopping to allow the soldier to done her combat boots. She smirked when she saw Serah's look of disgust about her choice of footwear. Serah gave her a playful shove to get Lightning to stop with the satisfied smirking. The two sisters had grown apart, but somehow they still managed to remain close.

* * *

**Sorry about not having this chapter up. Thanks to anyone still willing to put up with me and is still reading this story.**


	5. Chapter 4

_**Disclaimer: Not mine.**_

**Chapter Four**

Light stood stoically, impassively in the early afternoon light. There was little else she could do. If I knew this was what she wanted to do, I would have pretended I was injured…Though that would mean that she would try to 'care' for me. Neither option appealed to the soldier, but if Serah asked, it was hard for her to refuse.

The Villiers had dragged the lone Farron behind them as they shopped. Or more accurately, Lightning was dragged along as _Serah_ shopped. Shopping didn't seem like it was something that could faze the normally implacable soldier but Serah easily made it into an anathema to her older sister. Light felt her impassive demeanor stretch thin as she had to respond to every comment of "oh, how cute," "Look at this one," and – her personal enemy – "Wouldn't this look great on you Light?"

The captain felt her eye twitch as her sister said the hated words again. She closed her eyes, counted to three while taking deep breaths and then said, "I don't think so Serah. It's not really something I'd wear."

_It_ was a light blue dress that would end just below her knees. If she ever deigned to put it that is. Serah pouted for a moment before disappearing once again among the racks of clothes that this store had. Snow grinned at the soldier. "Come on sis, it wasn't that bad. In fact it would have probably-"

"Snow, if you finish that sentence you will be short an arm," Light snapped. "And I am _not_ your sister."

The oaf merely shook his head at her. "Come on, you need to lighten up. Lighten up. Ha, get it?"

Room temperature dropped several degrees from the frosty stare that Light was directing at Snow. _I wonder how angry Serah'd be if I broke his nose?_ The answer: angry enough to not speak with her sister for several months, birthday or no. The captain sighed as she thought about all the ways she could hurt the man, even though she would never do any of them. Surprisingly it wasn't only because Serah would kill her. The blond giant had actually _grown_ on the stoic woman. Not that she'd ever admit that out loud.

Lightning frowned at a stray thought, glancing at Snow and then at the surrounding area. "Hey, Snow. Where's Averia?" Her voice didn't have the usual ice in it. Instead it was colored with slight tinge of concern.

The man's reaction would have been comical, if the subject hadn't been so serious. His eyes widened and he started twisting his head around. And if _that_ wasn't enough he started to run around like a chocobo with its head cut off. Light cursed silently at the oaf's antics and his stupidity._Who in Etro's name loses a two year old anyway?_

When she heard her brother-in-law's loud and inventive swearing, she allowed herself to let out a loud sigh. _Oh, yeah. Snow._ Lightning shook her head slightly, taking one last moment to think about his stupidity before turning her attention to the matter at hand.

Looking for Averia would not be an easy task. She had this annoying habit of finding the most interesting hiding places and not coming out until just before her Aunt called the Corps. _Like you._ A slight smile ghosted its way across her face as she thought that. It was true. She had been a little demon when she was younger. _Now, if I were a two year old imp, where would I go?_

Light started to slowly scan the racks of clothes, particularly the space between the floor and the hem of the pieces of attire. It only took her a few seconds to spot the small feet covered in boots. Even as Snow continued to act like a giant bird without its cerebral functions, the woman moved toward those boots.

She stopped at the clothes that the boots were under and pretended to examine them. "Hmmm. These aren't really me either. But I suppose that's the reason you hid here right, kid?"

A soft giggle came from the swaths of clothes before a miniature Serah threw herself onto Lightning without a care in the world. "Aun'ie Ligh' you always find me."

The soldier smiled softly at the little girl before picking her up. She was lighter by far than the captain's gunblade so it was an easy task. Those bright blue eyes and innocent smile was able to crack the impassive mask she had built with an ease that only Serah had possessed before. It was only natural; after all, the small child _was_her sister's first-born.

"That's because it's not that hard to spot a little imp like you…Was it fun trying to give us adults a heart attack?"

Averia's jubilant declaration of 'yes' made Lightning chuckle slightly before she turned to look at Snow, who had unfortunately attracted his wife with his antics. She surprised herself by feeling pity for the hero. "Come on Squirt. Let's go save your hero of a father."

The little girl grinned innocently as they started forward. It wasn't all that hard to hear Serah's chastisement of Snow and it made even the stoic soldier wince a bit. On the inside of course, she had a reputation to maintain.

After smoothing over everything with the married pair, the store owners, and other customers, the four family members went back outside. Lighting smiled as she stood in the light. She didn't have to patrol, there was no need to worry for anyone else, and she was spending time with her two favorite people. Snow didn't count. All was well in the world. And of course, as soon as the soldier thought that something had to go wrong.

The nineteen year-old allowed his mind to wander. He was in history class and today they were going over the purge and the events thereafter. There was absolutely no reason for Hope to pay attention to this. After all, he had been a part of it.

Only a few years ago, talking about this would bring back memories of his mother's death. Now it brought back the memories of his and the other five l'cie's journey. His eyes rested on the posters of adamantoises, behemoths, and silver lobos. Those monsters looked almost invincible in those pictures, it was hard to believe that he had helped take down all of them on numerous occasions.

"Mr. Estheim, since you find those posters so interesting could you tell the class what exactly the Great Invasion was?"

Hope had to restrain himself from snorting as he answered. "The Great Invasion. Well, that's easy. It was when people believed that Gran Pulse tried to invaded Eden with all the admantortoises and such."

The instructor raised his eyebrows as an expression of his disbelief. "Oh, and why do you say_believed_ Mr. Estheim."

Hope's eyes pierced through the man. "Because that belief is wrong, sir. There wasn't even anyone alive on Gran Pulse at that time. They were all cie'th."

The professor opened his mouth to ask another question when the wall exploded. It led out into the courtyard of the University and the entire thing didn't disintegrate. Only about a five foot wide, ten feet tall section did. Hope didn't process what was happening though. He only ducked under his desk as he shouted, "Get down!"

Only when large chunks of plaster stopped flying around, did the man look out from his hiding place. Standing in the destroyed section of the wall was a woman. She wore a grab similar to Fang's sari. She even had a spear that resembled the crystallized l'cie's. Her hair was the darkest black that Hope had ever seen, her skin a dark tan that was criss-crossed with the lighter tissue of scars. There wasn't an inch of exposed skin that didn't have a scar on it. Those weren't the most disturbing thing though. It was her eyes. Eyes that were the blackest of the black that shone with…nothing. It was as if there was nothing going on her mind.

Hope's thoughts weren't all that jumbled by the appearance of this mystery women but when those dead eyes locked gazes with his, he shuddered. When a sadistic grin spread across her face, he got a strange sense of foreboding. And when she said, "Found you." Hope's feelings could easily be summed up with one word. _Fuck._

When there was a loud explosion and flash of light at the University, Lighting's entire body jerked in that direction. "Aun'ie Claire? Wha's wrong?"

She was still holding Averia, and the little girl's concerned voice should have been easy to hear. In fact the soldier normally listened carefully if she heard Averia so much as grunt. But she was so involved in her thoughts that she didn't. _What the hell was that? There were no demolitions scheduled for today. Nor any weapons demonstrations. And why in Etro's name do I have this ominous feeling about that explosion?_

Light shook her head slightly, _only one way to find out._ The woman passed her niece to Snow. "That shouldn't have happened. Serah sorry to skip out on you like this but I need to go."

The captain didn't even wait for a reply as she took off toward the New Eden University at a fast jog. Of course what was a jog for her was like a dead-sprint for most others. Lighting's entire being was focused on getting to NEU that she didn't realize that the Villiers were following her.

Shops and people flew by, and the soldier and never been more thankful for choice of sensible clothing for that day's outing. And that included her military boots. There weren't many thoughts going through her mind as she ran. Only that she _needed_ to get to the University for some reason.

When she arrived at the edge of the campus, Light didn't slow. She sped up using the smoke as her guide. Or at least that was the plan. However, the closer she got to the origin of the explosion the more populated the campus became. It was an ingrained reaction for people to flock to an unknown occurrence. Right before they ended up fleeing the scene in terror. The soldier really couldn't understand why civilians always stuck their noses where they didn't belong. But then considering what she had done during the Purge she couldn't really say anything.

Fighting through the crowd was annoying; it was like trying to move water from place to place with your bare hands. Of course there was a way to remedy that, by using a bucket the task became much easier. So Lighting used her icy stare and commanding aura to part the crowd. Still, the press of people slowed the captain down considerably and she was quite happy when they gave way to open space.

Another thing about human nature is that – despite the fact that they want to know what's going on – they usually leave a small to large area between them and the reason they were there. Depending on the occurrence it could be anywhere from five feet to five-hundred feet. Luckily for Light the empty space between the front of the crowd and the demolished wall was on the high end of that scale, some three hundred or so feet.

Why the wall looked like it had been blasted by an airship and why it was bellowing smoke were both important questions. But those became secondary when she heard someone scream. A girl from the sound of its pitch. The soldier's instincts took over and Lightning was sprinting towards the improvised door before it even completely registered in her mind.

The eldest Farron covered the distance in seconds. When she got there and saw what was happening, she almost wished she hadn't. Light was an experienced soldier. She had seen things that were gruesome and absolutely horrifying. Those things though – they happened to other soldiers. To people who had volunteered to risk their lives. Not to young college students. Which is why the hardened member of the Corps froze when she saw what was happening in that classroom.

A girl – she couldn't be more than seventeen – was being assaulted. No, that wasn't quite right. A more apt description would be that she was being tortured. What else could you call someone electrocuting another person? The one doing the torturing was a woman. The details didn't really matter. Only that girl's pain was even beginning to compute.

It took several moments for the captain's mind to catch up with her body. When it finally did, Lighting proceeded to put it back on autopilot. She could fight better with her instincts on full alert.

The soldier wasted another precious second to center herself, enabling her to focus completely on the upcoming battle. Then she launched herself at the unknown assailant.

After Light had run off, Serah and Snow shared a glance before following after. Their pace was a brisk walk and not the frantic sprint of the soldier. They couldn't do that, even though both wanted to get there as fast as possible. Averia prevented them from doing so. Her daughter could only stand a few minutes of silence and was soon chattering with Snow like it was a normal day, though there was nothing normal about explosions from a university.

Serah's thoughts wandered to all the times that she had to patch up her sister or see her seriously injured. She hoped that this wouldn't be one of those times. The pink-haired woman knew that it was unlikely – but she had to believe. After all, Lightning had promised to do her best to remain relatively unhurt.

It was fifteen minutes before the small family had even stepped foot on NEU's campus. The normally crowded entrance was devoid of people. Serah could hear the rumble of a large crowd and moved toward that sound. When the Villiers laid eyes on that crowd is when it happened.

A giant evanescent dome shimmered to life behind them. From what they could see it had a diameter of a thousand feet – making it a rather large phenomenon. Serah watched as some attempted to walk through the incorporeal barrier. They were repelled back into the crowd, knocking down several people with them. She turned to Snow who had gone silent.

He answered her unspoken question. "It's magic. Of a very powerful kind. Some kind of containment field. Hope could tell you more. Lightning probably could to."

Serah looked at her Hero and then asked a question that she knew she would regret. "If it's a containment field, how do we get out?"

Snow turned toward her and for once there was a frown on his face. "We don't."

Hope's life had been going pretty well. So well in fact that it was slightly boring. Especially when he had traipsed all over two worlds at fourteen. He would never tell anyone, but sometimes he wished that he was on another adventure. That he had joined the Corps instead of going NEU. Now that an adventure was right before him, Hope was having second thoughts.

Then again when looking into eyes filled with darkness that probably belonged to a psychopathic maniac who was looking for him would make anyone second guess themselves. Except for Light, but she was on an entirely different level.

He watched as the woman made flourished her spear. Hope blinked, thinking he was seeing things when he saw the spear flash white for a moment.

The nineteen year-old shook himself to get rid of the unnecessary questions and fell into a fighting stance, wishing that he knew more hand-to-hand combat. Or in this case hand-to-weapon combat. He was so dead. The woman was walking slowly towards him. Stalking would be more accurate. She had a certain grace that reminded Hope of a lobo or some other animal. It was something that only feral creatures had.

He prepared himself to fight this woman-monster when another student stepped forward. Her name was Jen - short for Jenifer - and she was normally a quiet girl, too afraid to speak up in class. She had found some courage though. Enough to confront the mysterious woman.

"What are you doing here? This is a university – not a bar where you can break anything you want."

The woman looked at the young girl. "Really? Who's going to stop me?"

Unfortunately, Jenifer had chosen the wrong time to find her courage. Before she could even react to that statement the woman had raised her arm and cast thundaga. The woman used _magic_. Without a mana drive. And she was using it hurt one of his classmates.

Hope stood there as he watched Jen cry out in pain. There was nothing he could do. Without a weapon – without magic – he was completely helpless. The man looked up towards the woman again to see a sadistic grin on her face. He felt useless.

Until he spotted movement out of the corner of his eye. Another woman was standing in the blown-out section of the wall. Only this time Hope recognized her. Even though she was out of uniform it was easy to see her pink hair, icy blue eyes, and impassive face. _Lightning!_

Taking down an unknown person in a flying tackle isn't the smartest thing to do. That was one of the first things Lightning learned while training to be in the Corps. In fact it was one of the first things she had learned _not_to do. However, there were exceptions to every rule. And when an innocent girl was being tortured the easiest way to distract the suspect was to jump on them.

Of course that opened up the possibility of a swift and deadly counter-attack on her opponent's part but the soldier would worry about that latter. After the woman's attention was completely focused on her. While she was in the air she noticed a silver-haired green-eyed man. Hope. It must be one of his classes. Light would also try and figure out what was going on. After the woman was subdued. And from the looks of things, that was going to be easier said than done.

The captain hit the unknown woman with her shoulder. She wrapped her arms around the suspect's body to ensure that she went down with Lightning. Both women hit the floor hard, with enough force that the unidentified let go of her spear.

Light landed on top of the woman so she quickly used her remaining momentum to roll off and away. Even if her spear wasn't within range for her to use, the unknown could still have knife or something worse. She was stunned for the moment, shocked into immobility and the soldier took full advantage of that to shout, "Hope! Get yourself and the others out!"

Her eyes met those of her once-apprentice as she spoke those words. Lightning saw his mouth open to protest. "Don't argue, just do it! NOW!"

The young man's lips compressed into a thin line as he nodded solemnly. After receiving Hope's agreement she focused all of her attention back to the unknown who was beginning to rise.

When the captain locked eyes with this woman, she had to suppress a shiver. Unknown was what she was but when Light looked into those empty, lifeless eyes, she knew that this was someone like her. Or rather, like who she had been. A fighter that had forgotten how to live for anything other than fighting. The soldier forced herself back into the now as the warrior began to speak.

"What's this? Someone's actually trying to stop me?" The woman's voice was just as dead as her eyes. No emotions, inflections or anything else could be heard in it. "This is going to be fun."

That was the only warning Lightning got before the unknown began her vicious assault. Even as the captain gracefully dodged away from the blows, blocking those she couldn't avoid she watched as the students ran for the new door before she was forced to return her entire attention back to the woman.

Grudgingly, Light had to admit that the warrior was pretty good at what she did. However, it was obvious from her movements that she hadn't had a real challenge in a while. The fact that the soldier was only dodging made the unknown's movements pretty sluggish. For a fighter like Lightning, this woman was a trainee who barely knew what she was doing.

Or at least that was what Lightning thought, unaware that it was she who was being lulled into compliance. The captain had gotten caught up in fighting and forgotten one important fact. This woman was not a trainee. She had magic. After Light had settled into a pattern the unknown broke her out of it, in an extremely sadistic manner.

When the first thundaga spell hit her, the eldest Farron didn't know if she cried out. Hell, she barely knew her own name. The only thing she knew was that she was in pain. Lot's of it. She waited for something to happen. And it did. Just not in the way she would have wanted. The world went white and then - it faded to black.

* * *

_**FIRST REVISED: 10/13/11**_

**Again not very much has changed in this chapter. Just a few little mistakes that I had been to lazy to fix before**


	6. Chapter 5

_**Disclaimer: I don't own FFXIII.**_

**Chapter Five**

When Lightning opened her eyes, she quickly scrunched them closed to block out the light. _Why_ did Serah always come in after a long night of drinking and turn on the lights? It was a stupid, annoying habit that her sister had done since Light was old enough to get drunk legally. _I'm going to have to do it to_her_one day and see how she likes it…_Her thoughts trailed off as she thought of something. _Wait a second…Aren't I dead?_

That was when her memories caught up with the rest of mind. The unknown woman torturing the student, the ridiculous short fight, and – by far - the pain Light felt when that thundaga spell hit her.

Remembering the events of the past few minutes, she opened her eyes to see what the hell was going on. The first color they saw was blue. A beautiful baby blue that was the color of Gran Pulse's sky – a color that Cocoon's artificial atmosphere had never quite managed to duplicate. Lightning _knew_ that she had been inside a building, so having the sky be the first thing she saw was confusing. She shook it off though, believing it to be the work of Serah, Snow, Hope, or another soldier.

Since she had no idea where she was or what was going on Light started to do a survival checklist as she stood. It was one of those things that was pretty much useless that the Guardian Corps taught to its recruits to help keep them calm. The captain wasn't panicking, but the familiar cadence of listing off things that would help her survive was soothing.

_Weapons_: Nothing. Not even her survival knife – which was odd because she had _definitely_put it in her pocket that morning. _Supplies_: Again, nothing. Not even a stream was nearby, and there weren't any animals. _Communications:_Let's see, she had also put her com unit in with her knife but that wasn't there either. _Shelter_: Not even a tree for miles. Lightning's summary from her shortened checklist: that a) she was in trouble and b) she had no idea what the hell was going on. Which meant that the exercise was completely worthless because she known _that_ before she had done it.

_Well now that I've settled that I'm totally screwed, what am I going to do about it?_ "That's a great question." She muttered to herself. "And now I'm going insane from being in the middle of nowhere for five minutes."

"I wouldn't say that. You've always been a little on the crazy side Light." The voice was extremely familiar, with an accent that Light had heard only two people speak with. The captain spun around to see the tribeswoman who was two inches taller than herself. She wore the same blue sari and had the same tattoo and scars covering it. The only things that were different were that she didn't have her spear on her back and the twisted l'cie brand was gone.

"Fang." Lightning said the name of one of her lost friends with a sense of awe. The Pulsian grinned.

"What, no greeting for me? I guess that means I'm just going to have to go find someone else to talk to then." A nineteen year-old with red hair was smiling at the soldier just like Fang was.

"Vanille." Light couldn't believe this. Five years she had been dealing with the lose of the two Pulsians and now that they were right in front of her she couldn't think of anything to say. All of her rage, all of her thoughts at yelling at them for leaving the group, all of her musings that there had to have been another way. All drained of it out of her as if by magic. And then the captain started to actually think.

The two Oerbans shared a glance before Fang answered. "Not exactly. This place is neither in life nor death. It is in between the two. So in the physical world your heart has stopped beating, your lungs have stopped exhaling, and your body is - for all intents and purposes - dead. Most people whose bodies die immediately pass on. But there are a select few – like you – who end up in a place like this. These few can return to life, even though their bodies have died."

Lightning sat back down as she processed this information. It was hard to stomach – even for the hardened soldier – that she was actually _dead._ Then she thought of something. "Wait a second. If my body's dead and I can either die or go back to living why are you two _here._ I mean you're in crystal stasis, so you can't die."

This time Vanille answered. "Well, that's because this in between is different. This is where we've been the past five years. We drew your soul here, so we could talk to you. We can't move on but you could." Despite the seriousness of the topic she still managed to sound cheerful. Light honestly didn't know how the young-woman could do that. Still be this happy person no matter the situation. There were even times that the captain had been tempted to strangle the nineteen year-old for it.

The soldier shook her head slightly, trying to clear her buzzing brain of the random thoughts and memories flitting around inside it. Then she returned her gaze to her two Pulsian friends. "So you wanted to talk to me? Maybe next time you could just call me instead of waiting for me to die and summoning my soul. That just seems a little creepy."

Vanille and Fang laughed at Light's joke but that did not last long, especially after the captain asked, "What is that you want to talk to me about, anyway?"

Serah couldn't believe her eyes but she knew they weren't lying. How could this happen? After everything that she had gone through, the youngest Farron was certain that Claire was invincible. But there she lay, where the unidentified woman had dropped her.

It was like all of the strawberry-blond's nightmares were coming true. Her worst fear was that her big sister would die while fighting. And there she was. Dead. Laying there like a broken doll. She felt Snow's hand on her shoulder but she didn't really _feel_ it. She heard Averia's confused questions but she didn't really _hear_ them. Serah was enclosed in a bubble of sorrow, smothered by a blanket of numbness that made the real world fade away.

She could only focus on her sister's body. There wasn't any blood, so why was she dead. Why was strong, independent, caring, invincible Lightning dead? Why? _Please Claire. Let my eyes be wrong. Let you be alive. Please, Etro let my sister be alive._

* * *

_**FIRST REVISED: 10/13/11**_

**Again, little changed this chapter. I seemed to absolutely hate the first three though.**


	7. Chapter 6

_**Disclaimer: Nothing's mine.**_

**Chapter Six**

Lighting Farron was a sensible person. She didn't splurge on unnecessary things. She didn't get into fights that she couldn't win – while admittedly those weren't all that common.

When the soldier had been branded a l'cie, she had thrown a minor tantrum – what else could one call trying to take down Eden without truly thinking it through – and then carried on as best she could.

Light had accepted the things thrown at her during that journey with a great deal of poise and patience. So she tried to accept what her two friends were saying in the same manner. She really did. But even with all of her practice at being a cold-hearted immovable _statue_ of a person there was no way the captain could fully process what the two sleeping Pulsians had to say.

She had turned away in disbelieve and now she turned slowly back to where her former comrades were standing and said, "Could you please tell me all that again?"

Irritation had leaked into her normally impassive voice. Truly it wasn't surprising. Having something like _that_ sprung on you suddenly doesn't help with one's temperament.

Fang and Vanille glanced at each other before the younger woman asked hesitantly, "All of it Light?"

The soldier couldn't hold back her snort of contempt. "No, just the bit about me having to abandon my family and friends to find some ancient temple. Of course all of it. I wouldn't have asked for you to retell me _all_ of it if I hadn't meant just that – for you to tell me _all_of it again."

Fang grinned. "Well it seems that you're still a little ray of sunshine when irritated, huh, Light?"

Lightning didn't even dignify that with a spoken reply. She merely gave the huntress a cold glare that would either make depths of hell freeze or the coldest ice melt, depending on who was asked.

The dark haired woman shook her head slightly before sitting down cross-legged. "So. Story time again. Or more like an ancient history lesson.

"Long ago before there was anything – before creation – there was something. This something is what the fal'cie now call the Maker. However while the Maker was powerful he could not create the entirety of our world – and others – by himself. This name was false for it really took the Maker and his brother, the Destroyer, to make everything we know.

"For centuries the two brothers watched over their creations until Destroyer grew jealous of his brother. For while the Destroyer was respected the Maker was loved. When he realized that he could never have what his brother had, the Destroyer set out to have something just as good. He believed that every emotion had a counterpart. A negative and a positive make serenity. So the Destroyer set out to become a figure to be feared."

The captain held up her hand to stop Fang before the story could get any more complicated. "So basically the universe was formed by two almighty brothers, one of whom was loved – who I might add is also the reason that Barthandelus tried to destroy Cocoon – and another who was just respected and decided that he wanted to get the negative equivalent of love. Do I have all this right so far?"

Vanille nodded before her higher voice took the story from Fang's lower timbre. "The Destroyer terrorized the universe for years. The Maker was reluctant to do anything at the beginning but when his brother's atrocities became too much for even he to ignore he finally took action. Little is known about this war, other than it was one of the absolute worst things that ever happened.

"What is known is how it ended. The Maker and Destroyer each had progeny. The goddess Etro was born from the blood of the Maker that had been spilled on the battle field and mixed with a woman warrior's. The god Erebos was sired in a similar way, only the blood was freely given of the Destroyer and forcibly taken from the woman.

"These two joined the war in its final stages. Etro was the only reason that the Maker triumphed. She distracted the Destroyer, allowing her father to strike the fatal blow. Erebos was enraged at his sire's death but retreated to the dark corners of the universe, swearing revenge. Oddly there is no mention of the Maker in this pledge, only his daughter, the goddess Etro."

Fang once again took up the story. "For centuries Erebos did nothing and Etro became complacent. After her father left Gran Pulse, she wandered without care, without protection. It was then that Erebos struck. While the goddess walked the sparsely populated plains, the god attacked. He left his cousin bleeding, lying prostrate on the ground. But he didn't kill her. Instead Erebos left Etro to die.

"That was a mistake on his part. Even grievously wounded as she was, Etro would take weeks to die. For three days she believed this to be her curse. Barely able to move, bleeding without pause living on in unimaginable pain. Until on the fourth day a young man named Alaunus found the goddess."

There was silence, like speaking this man's name was sacrilegious. It was shattered when Vanille continued the story. "Alaunus took Etro into his home and cared for her until she recovered enough to leave. However it had taken months for the goddess to recover and by this time she had fallen in love with her young care-giver. Before she finally managed to tear herself away from Alaunus, Etro had bore for him a child – little girl who was said to be a replica of Etro."

The dark-haired woman gave a slight grin at Lighting. For while her face was impassive, the soldier's eyes showed her impatience. "Almost done Light. This girl lived – creating a connection between humans and the goddess. She built a temple dedicated to her mother. In this building is said to be key to ending the war between deities. This is the shortened story of the creation of everything. There is an ancient prophecy concerning the bloodline of Etro and Alaunus.

"_During the Darkest of Times,_

_When Nothing Remains,_

_As Erebos's spawn take the lands_

_Etro's Daughter will rise,_

_To defeat the Shades,_

_To free Gran Pulse from the Shadows,_

_And to become protector of the World._"

"Prophecies aren't all that concrete," Light said. "In fact I would say that they are just lines of poetry made up to scare children."

The two Pulsians glanced at each other, trying to decide if she was being serious. "But Light, this_isn't_made up. It's about you. Your family." Vanille's voice was quiet, knowing that if handled wrong the soldier would flash like her name with anger. "Your mother had the blood of a Goddess in her veins, even if it was heavily diluted."

The captain couldn't contain her snort of derision. "Yeah, I heard you the first time you explained all of this. You can't just say that I'm descended from Etro and expect me to believe it. Even I have limits. Add to that the fact that you want me to go off on some quest, leaving my home behind and you can't blame me for being overly cynical."

"No we can't, but those Darkest of Times are coming Light. There are other prophecies connected to this one, as well as more lines to what I recited. But those six lines are the most important." Fang explained calmly. "You have to trust us Light. This war has never really ended. It's just going to once again come to the fore-front of the world. Find the temple your ancestor built Light. It's the only way this war will end."

Vanille nodded before adding, "Our time's almost up Lightning. Just remember that when in doubt you need to trust your heart."

The nineteen year-old gestured to her right. Instead of endless planes there was a hazy image of New Eden University campus. Light saw her body being carried by the unknown woman. It was rather odd to watch as it fell like a life-less rag doll. The captain could also see the horror on her sister's face. With a slight shake of her head, Lightning headed toward the portal. Just before she stepped through she turned to look at her to 'sleeping' friends. They both smiled and Fang said, "We'll always be there if you need us Light."

The soldier smiled slightly before turning back to the now not-so-hazy image and walked through it.

The first thing that hit Lightning was the pain. It was a tingly type of pain, more uncomfortable than actually painful. She took a deep breath and hit her that she hadn't really been breathing while in that in between.

When the captain opened her eyes she saw a shimmering dome. She squinted slightly realizing that the dome was some kind magical barrier to keep something out…Or people in.

The pink-haired woman heard the dead voice of the warrior. "If she was the best fighter you people have I don't know why I wasted my time coming here. She died so easily."

Light knew that if she didn't do something fast than the 'hero' would do something or – even worse – _Serah_ would do something. So she pushed herself to her feet and drawled, "Well, I don't know. I wouldn't call myself dead. In fact I seem to be fairly lively. It's a rookie's mistake to call someone dead when they're not."

The unknown spun around and there was finally some emotion on her face. Surprise. This woman was surprised that Lightning was alive. The eldest Farron allowed herself a small smirk at the warrior's expense before she wiped it off her face and narrowed her eyes. "You know, I don't like it when people insult my fighting ability."

That was the only warning Light gave the mystery woman before bounding over the ten feet that separated them and striking at the warrior's face with her right fist. Satisfaction flooded the soldier when she felt it connect. She watched as the woman's head snapped upward from the force of the blow. The rest of her body followed and the unknown flew through the air for a few feet before landing in an untidy sprawl on the ground.

Oddly enough the woman had managed to hold on to her spear throughout her impromptu flight, which she used to hoist herself up onto her feet. Lightning knew she was going to have one hell of a fight when she saw the warrior's fury-filled eyes. She wasn't disappointed.

Her opponent lunged forward with her weapon, attempting to use the long spear to hit Light. _First mistake,_she thought as she side-stepped. As she avoided the strike she grabbed the shaft of the weapon and – tightening her grip – managed to use the warrior's momentum against her to make her fly again. This time however Lightning kept the spear.

_Thank Etro that I sparred Fang regularly. Wait, am I thanking my many times great-grandmother…? No, bad Light. Focus on the fight._The soldier shook her head and glanced at the weapon in her hands. While she could easily defend herself against a spear wielding manic she couldn't use the said weapon to defend herself and therefore tossed the – to her anyways – useless stick aside before stalking towards the woman.

"Well, it seems that while I'm not the _best_fighter I'm certainly far better than you."

Lightning smirked at the effect her statement had on the unknown. It had enraged her further, enough so that she began to act without thinking. While it was good because it allowed the captain to try an outmaneuver her, it was bad because angry opponents were dangerous ones._Extremely_dangerous ones.

However, Light easily avoided most of the blows – she was extremely apt at dodging – the ones that did hit, hurt. A lot. It was only because of years of forcing herself to fight through the pain that allowed her to shrug the blows off. Her luck didn't last long, for as she was avoiding a right hook, she went straight into a kick that sent her sprawling.

As she pushed herself up it was obvious that the warrior had regained her composure. It was also obvious to Light that the mysterious woman was preparing to cast a spell. She barely had time to think _shit_ before the thundaga spell hit and threw her back to the ground.

_Why did I get into this? Oh, yeah it's because I have a hero complex. Wait, why am I thinking what Serah would say? That spell obviously knocked something loose in my brain._The captain slowly regained her bearings to find that the woman was standing over her. Lightning swept the warrior's legs out from under her before jumping up and retreating to a 'safe' distance. Which was five feet away since she wouldn't be able to reach her opponent quickly any further.

It soon became a game of cat and mouse as soon as the woman regained her feet. Unfortunately, Light was the mouse. It was taking all of her concentration to avoid the unknown's blows _and_ her spells. It was getting ridiculous. _This needs to end._ And so end it she did.

Lightning ducked under one fist and grabbed the other while bringing her own up to the warrior's face with all of her might. The captain was no light-weight when it came to strength. In fact she rarely used all of her muscles to their full capacity. The reasons for which quickly became apparent when the there were several nasty sounding cracks and the unknown went flying _again_, only this time she _stayed_ in the crumpled heap that she fell into.

The soldier panted from exertion and pain. No fight was short, even if that one only lasted for about ten minutes. To make matters worse being hit by at least two high powered thunder spells made her body go all tingly. It was not a pleasant sensation.

She walked slowly over to her fallen opponent, wincing slightly at the sight of the warrior's broken face. Questions were racing through her mind with no answers appearing. At least until she heard,_**don't worry Sunshine. Everything will make sense soon enough.**_ Light jerked at the sound of her old sparring partner's voice before shaking her head and heading over to Serah. Slowly, because any faster and she would have started to stumble.

The eldest Farron looked at her sister's concerned face and quickly tried to reassure her, "Serah, I'm fine – " Anything else the soldier was going to say was cut off when Serah threw her arms around her in a bone crushing hug. "Don't you _ever_do that again! You hear me Claire! _Never Again!"_

Light could feel her sister's tears on her shoulder as they soaked through her shirt. She also didn't reprimand the young woman for the use of her real name. The captain understood that when Serah was distressed that she forgot about her sister's alter ego and so remained silent. Stoically holding her sister until the young mother's distress had abated somewhat.

"Better?" Lightning asked with a raised eyebrow as Serah pulled away. "Better," Was the answer she received.

The soldier looked over at Hope who was standing beside Snow and her niece. He repeated her earlier words before asking, "Do you know who that was Light?"

She rolled her shoulder in a half-hearted shrug. "No idea. But I should probably call one of my superiors to get her out of here." Light reached into her pocket and pulled out her communicator – which she _had_ put in there before she left the house – and tried to call Amodar. She growled when it refused to work before throwing it aside. _All that electricity probably made it short out._ _Damn. I hate thunder spells._ The only response she got was laughter from the two sleeping l'cie who seemed to have taken up residence in her head.

Lightning asked returned her gaze to Hope and asked, "Could I borrow your com? Mine…well…" She gestured vaguely towards where it had landed. The nineteen year-old smirked before giving it to her. The captain shook her head and dialed the Lieutenant Colonel again with more success.

"Amodar here." She smiled when she heard the former Lieutenant's voice. "It's Captain Farron sir."

"I see. I've been trying to get a hold of you for a while, I know that it's your day off but there's a situation at New Eden University –"

Light cut Amodar off before he could try to convince her to go to a place she already was. "Sir, I know. In fact I'm there. That's what I'm calling about."

"Wait a second," her superior's voice sounded surprised. "You're _at_NEU? As in actually inside the bubble thing."

"Bubble thing? What are you talking about…" Lightning let her voice fade as she saw that the shimmering force field was still up. "Oh. I thought it came down when I destroyed her face."

"What are you talking about Captain?" Amodar's voice was slightly annoyed.

"Sorry sir. Just thinking out loud. There was a woman – well _is_ a woman considering she's still alive. She was the cause of the disturbance. I knocked her unconscious, which is why I'm surprised that the magic is still going. It takes concentration to keep something like that up. Concentration that can't be had unconscious."

Light's eyes wandered as she said this until it landed on the spear. Now that she got a good look at it there was something strange happening with it. The weapon seemed to be…_glowing?_

"I think I just figured out why sir. Just give me a few minutes and that magic barrier should be down."

Amodar accepted this and severed the link. The soldier tossed the communicator back to Hope and strode towards the spear. She frowned as she picked up the glorified stick – _**Hey, it's much more than that**__–_ with one hand and ignored Fang's outburst for slighting her weapon of choice.

The wood wasn't glowing, just the runes carved into it. _Now if only I could read ancient Pulsian._There was more laughter. _Or you could just ask us._ Vanille's cheerful voice said. _Fine, what does it say?_Light asked while secretly thinking, _Etro save me. How am I going to survive with these two in my head?_

_It's pretty much just magic mumbo-jumbo. Basically, just break the spear and that force field should come down._ Lightning gave a minute nod before taking the weapon in both hands, preparing to do as

The soldier refrained from groaning. Barely. Before she raised her knee and brought the spear down on it with a sharp _crack_. The air stirred up slightly, like there was a slight breeze, as the magical barrier shimmered brightly before disappearing. _And that's why you're not going to complain about us anymore. Because we're useful._

"Fine." Light muttered before returning to the Villiers and Hope. She swayed slightly when a small projectile hit her. She smiled as she hoisted Averia up, listening to the girl's excited chatter the entire time.

"Wow, Aun'ie Claire. Is tha' wha' you do everyday? Is tha' your job? 'Cause tha's really, really cool, Aun'ie Claire."

She gave a small chuckle. "No, little imp I don't do that _every_ day. Just most of them."

That only made the girl even more excited as she started to babble a mile a minute. The soldier shook her head, sharing an amused glance with Serah before an approaching group caught her eye.

It consisted of three men – one was obviously someone important because his posture and clothes practically screamed _rich snob,_ while the other two were some type of bodyguards. Hope leaned toward her and said softly, "That's the Dean."

Light gave a short nod. _That explains the rich snob vibe._While she had never met the Dean of New Eden University, she had heard stories from fellow Corps members who had. He apparently looked down upon most, especially soldiers. Probably because he thought that they weren't worth the dirt he stood on because a majority hadn't attended _any_ kind of university or college. Hell, most probably hadn't graduated high school. Her musings had taken up enough time to bring him directly in front of her.

"Hello, I'm Malcolm Thorton, but you probably knew that." _Great, a snob with illusions of grandeur._"I just want to thank you for the service you've provided for NEU." All of this was said with a saccharine smile.

Lightning didn't even try to force a smile before responding. "Any thanks I receive should rightly go to the Guardian Corps."

The man frowned and gave dismissive wave. "What, the Corps? It's filled with useless idiots who did nothing to protect this school. _You_ however deserve all the thanks _and_ all of the rewards."

_I cannot kill an important man. I cannot kill an important man. I cannot kill an important man.__**You know Light, I don't think any us realized exactly how short your fuse is.**__Yeah, I mean you were always so calm and collected._ The soldier stopped herself from showing any outward signs of irritation and began to reply to the Dean when she was distracted by Averia. "Why is you 'alking 'o an ari – aris- aris'oca'? I though' you ha'ed 'hem?"

Light couldn't suppress the small smile at her niece had made spread across her face. She might've thought that Averia was mostly Serah's daughter but there were times when the girl had Snow's ability to stick her foot in her mouth. "No, little imp, I don't hate them," _just strongly dislike, "_And it isn't nice to talk about someone like that, 'Ria." The young girl nodded sagely.

The Dean, seeing another way to distract the soldier asked, "Is that your daughter? If so you should bring her to the annual ball we will be holding next week." He seemed pleased by this subtle – what Light was sure _he_thought was subtle, anyways – invitation. He was less pleased when the Villiers, Hope and Light all burst out laughing. "What?" _Malcolm_ snapped.

Lightning immediately stopped chuckling saying, "Apologies, but it's the mere thought of _me_ having a child that we find so hilarious."

"B-but, she looks so much like you, how _can't_ she be your daughter?" _Well it seems that an education isn't everything._

"She's my niece." The captain would have continued if she hadn't been distracted again, this time by a group of soldiers. _Thank Etro._ _**Even if you won't admit it, you're thanking an ancestor Light.**_

_Malcolm_ had noticed as well and scowled at the lieutenant. "You know, you're late. This young lady dealt with the problem and as such shall be recognized at the ball next week." The Dean gave her another smile that made her want to throw up. The man ignored him and gave a crisp salute to Lightning. "Captain Farron, ma'am. What are our orders?"

The Dean's eyes widened as he stared at her and before she could reply to the lieutenant he said, "_Captain Farron_? THE Captain Farron? As in _Lightning Farron?"_

Light followed the soldier's lead with the Dean and ignored him. "That woman over there needs to be taken in. I would suggest tranq-ing her, even though I knocked her unconscious. Also, that broken spear needs to be examined."

The lieutenant gave another sharp salute and ordered his men to do as she commanded. While he was doing that the captain turned back to the gaping Dean. "And yes, my name _is_ Lightning Farron. Why it matters so much to you, I have no idea."

Hope looked at her oddly. "You mean you really don't know, Light?"

She gave him a suspicious look before shaking her head. The young man continued. "You're one of the most well known members of the Corps you know. Mostly because you're right in the middle of the nasty things, like that adamantoise attack last month or the Flan invasion. Most people label you as some superhuman hero."

_Ha, you owe me 500 gil Fang. I told you Light was famous._ The captain ignored the voice in her head for the moment and said, "If I'm a public figure why didn't the Dean recognize me?"

The nineteen year-old shrugged. "Probably because you've never been at any of the Corps' press conferences and that there were never any pictures released of you. Actually this whole thing is probably going to make you more well known."

_I'm going to thank public relations,_Light thought. _**I owe you nothing! I bet that she wouldn't want to be famous.**_ "I see."

Lightning thought that the man who was supposed to be at least forty looked disgusting when he drooled like a three year-old. "Well then you simply _must_ attend the ball next week."

The captain may have been out of the social loop but even she knew that the New Eden University's Annual Ball of Celebration of the Opening of the School on Gran Pulse was a huge – and very private – event. She could almost feel Serah's glare that said if-you-don't-take-that-offer-I-will-kill-you. Light nodded slowly, "But only if my family comes as well."

It was surprising that the Dean's head remained attached to his body he nodded so fast. "Of course, of course I wouldn't have it any other way."

_Oh, goddess. What the hell have I gotten into._Thankfully Lieutenant Colonel Amodar arrived before anything else disastrous could happen. Light stood at attention but couldn't salute because of an arm-full of imp. "Sir."

He nodded at her. "Captain Farron. Well done. I'm sorry to ask this but I'm afraid you're going to have to report back to headquarters."

Before Lightning could agree, Serah stepped in. "No she isn't. Lightning has been electrocuted several times. She was even _dead_ for a few minutes. She's going to the hospital. Right, Light?"

She said all of this while glaring at her big sister. It was still was one that said I-will-kill-you but this one had the if-you-don't-do-what-I-say factor. The captain gave a tiny shrug and said, "You heard her Lieutenant Colonel. To the hospital it is. I will report to headquarters after a doc checks me over though."

Amodar looked concerned and agreed with Serah. He called a medic transport, hearing nothing of Light's protests that she could easily make it to the hospital without one. Five minutes later she was on her way to one of her most hated places. She was still thankful, especially because she was getting away from the Dean. _Oohh, does Light have a crush?_ However, she couldn't escape from the fact that her two sleeping friends were in her head. And it was annoying the hell out of Lightning. The two Pulsians' laughter was the only answer she received for _that_ thought.

* * *

_**FIRST REVISED: 10/13/11**_

**Not much changed again.**


	8. Chapter 7

_**Disclaimer: Little of this is mine.**_

**Chapter Seven**

Hospitals had never been on Lightning's list of places to like. Perhaps the dislike of the white halls and rooms began when she was six, when she broke her arm. The then young child didn't fear needles but been stuck with several of them in a short span of time was bound to annoy even the most fearless of children. Light knew however that her true hatred of hospitals had come when she was fifteen. When her mother had died.

Averia Farron had had terminal cancer. Cancer wasn't much of a problem in recent years as in previous ones. There were several treatments, _if_ the doctors caught it early enough. They hadn't even realized that Averia was ill until her final months. Lightning had never bothered to find out where exactly the cancer had started but by the end of it there were cysts in her mother's stomach, lungs, kidneys, liver, and heart. When she had finally died the doctor working on her case had expressed 'sympathy'. Light had hated that man because he so obviously didn't care. It was on that day that Claire began to morph into Lightning.

The sterile feel of hospitals didn't bother the soldier, it was the cold, uncaring doctors that did. Luckily, the doctor that Light always saw was the warmest, most empathic person she had ever had the pleasure of meeting. Dr. Elisa Amodar was kind and seemed to have decided that Light was like an unofficial permanent patient of hers. So whenever the nurses saw the captain, they would send her to a room and page Elisa. Having the Villiers along with her did not change this. That it was rather strange to watch little Averia chatter happily in excitement in a hospital.

_That's only because you're making it weird Light._ And then there was the fact that she was apparently carrying around two crystallized l'cie. _**Now, Sunshine, is that anyway to think of friends?**_

The soldier held the growl that bubbled up in…Barely. Serah was looking at her in concern, probably thinking that she was in more pain than she was letting on. _Oh, I'm in pain alright. In pain because I have two annoying, unbearable –_ her list adjectives was quite creative and continued on until Dr. Amodar walked in – _sleeping friends who have decided to invade my mind after five years._There was bright laughter from Vanille and a dark chuckle from Fang. _Well, at least now we know that she really isn't all that icy on the inside._

Lightning focused on the woman in front of her, ignoring the two l'cie inside her head. Elisa was petite, with blonde hair and green eyes. It was a rather interesting contrast to see her beside her husband. "Ah, Lightning Farron. Did Brian call you in on your day off again?"

Snorting, the captain said, "No, I just happened to be in the wrong place at the right time…Like usual. It seems to be a habit."

The woman smiled and went through the routine tests, frowning when she got to reading the soldier's heart rate. "Would there be any reason for your heart to be beating twice as fast as the normal resting rate?"

Before Light could answer, Serah did for her. "It might be because she was electrocuted several times. Or maybe it's because she was _dead_ for several minutes. Take your pick."

The elegant woman raised an eyebrow. "Well, it seems that it was an interesting day indeed. For a normal patient I would keep them over night, but seeing as how you would just walk out the front door I'm going to ask you to take it easy. Do you need any pain meds?"

The soldier shook her head. "Alright than a few forms that require signatures," Elisa stopped for a moment to sign said forms. "And were done! Try not to come here on your birthday, okay Light?"

Lightning nodded at her doctor before leaving the hospital as quickly as humanly possible. She_really_ didn't like the vibes of that place. Or any hospital. _**Don't worry, I would find them creepy to.**_

The statement reminded her that she still had no idea why two of her friends seemed to be commentating on her life. _Goddess, that's annoying._ There was silence for a moment before Vanille and Fang started to chant, _**Ancestor, Ancestor, Ancestor.**_

For the first time, Light directed a comment directly at the two. The cursing didn't count, that was her own thoughts. _Will you stop acting like two year olds? Averia is more mature than you two put together!_

_**Finally, the princess comes down of her high tower to recognize us. We bow down to honor her.**__Bow down, bow down._ This time Lightning wouldn't have been able to stop the growl even if she had wanted to, receiving odd glances from her companions.

"Light…are you alright?" Serah asked concerned for her older sister. The soldier took a deep breath before responding, "I'm fine Serah. Just a little out of sorts. I'm going to go home. See you Snow, Sis, Imp."

The lone Farron stalked off before any of the Villiers could respond. She knew that it was rude but she couldn't deal with them and Fang and Vanille. Her home wasn't all that far from the hospital as it was in the 'rich' district. In no time at all, the captain was stalking around her home, making snide, sarcastic comments to herself that were really directed at the two voices in her head.

If anyone saw Lightning Farron they would think that she had gone insane. _Maybe I am._ Laughter greeted the comment. With another hostile growling noise Light decided to end the day the same way she started it, despite the teasing comments that she was bound to get. The soldier settled determinedly before the piano and placed her hands on keyboard.

_**Is Sunshine actually going to sing for us? We should feel honored, Vanille.**_Lightning ignored the comment and began to play a song that seemed fitting. After the first few notes, the two Pulsians remained quiet. Light took a deep breath before starting to sing the lyrics of this song. She had written it herself after the whole l'cie mess. Now more than ever, it fit.

"_**I waited for you today  
But You didn't show  
No. No. No.  
I needed You today  
So where did you go?  
You told me to call  
You said You'd be there  
And though I haven't seen You  
Are You still there?**_

_**I cried out with no reply and**_  
_**I can't feel You by my side**_  
_**So I'll hold tight to what I know**_  
_**You're here and I'm never alone.**_

_**And though I can not see You**_  
_**And I can't explain why.**_  
_**Such a deep, deep reassurance**_  
_**You've placed in my life oh**_  
_**We cannot separate**_  
_**'Cause You're part of me**_  
_**And though You're invisible**_  
_**I'll trust the unseen**_

_**I cried out with no reply**_  
_**And I can't feel You by my side**_  
_**So I'll hold tight to what I know**_  
_**You're here and I'm never alone**_

_**We cannot separate**_  
_**You're part of me**_  
_**And though You're invisible**_  
_**I'll trust the unseen**_

_**I cried out with no reply**_  
_**And I can't feel You by my side**_  
_**So I'll hold tight to what I know**_  
_**You're here and I'm never alone…"**_

Her two sleeping friends seemed to be stunned into silence for a few moments before Fang finally broke the silence. _**I'm sorry Light. Singing is obviously special to you. I didn't realize. I**_**do**_**feel honored that you would share this with us. Right, Vanille.**_The other woman agreed, asking hesitantly if Lightning could play another song…? The captain smiled and acceded to her friend's request. Before she started, she thought back at them, _I know you didn't understand. That's the only reason I'll forgive you for making fun of my playing. But just this once!_

* * *

_**FIRST REVISED: 10/13/11**_

**I don't think I changed anything in this chapter. Or if I did it was really minor. The song is 'Never Alone' by Barlow Girl.**

**_Note 4/22/12:_ I finally got around to fixing the deleted chapter, which was chapter 3 which is now in its correct place...Thank you for your patience. The next chapter will be out...eventually, but I haven't forgotten about AGB so it'll get done...eventually.  
**


	9. Chapter 8

**_Disclaimer: Not mine...__Especially the song. See AN for more info._  
**

**Chapter Eight**

Lightning curled up under her covers, hoping – praying – that it had been a dream. _Please don't be there. Please don't be there.__**Hey, Vanille I think we broke her.**_

_Why me?_ She thought in despair. _Haven't I suffered enough?__I don't know what you're talking about Fang. She seems pretty normal to me…If a bit more whiny than usual._

The captain growled, throwing her covers off and proceeded to stalk out of the room. _**Ooohh. I think you made her mad Vanille.**_

Light refused to be riled up as she went about her normal routine of making coffee, eggs, and bacon. Unfortunately, there was nothing normal about having two sleeping l'cie in your head. _I did not! It was you with your 'I think we broke her'. There is absolutely nothing wrong with Light…Other than the fact that she might have stunted emotional growth. Yep, other than that, she's a-okay._

"Will you two shut up so I can eat in peace?" There was silence for a moment before, _**Aye, aye **__**Captain.**_

The soldier sighed before returning to her food. She was surprised that the two Pulsians were quiet for the amount of time that they were. In fact they were so quiet that she thought for a moment that they were gone and it had just been a rather odd dream. At least until Fang tried to whisper, _**I think you forgot anger management issues Vanille.**_

That started off a rather intense argument on what was wrong with the captain. _Well, at least they waited until I finished breakfast._Lightning shook her head as she got up and cleaned up after herself. The two's antics made her smile somewhat. Especially when they insulted each other. That was particularly funny for some reason_.__I'm not even sure how I survived traveling with you two._

_Hey! We aren't that bad!_ Light was silent for a moment before saying, "Perhaps not but you both can be extremely annoying."

There were soft grumblings of reluctant agreement from her ancient friends before they went back to talking softly to each other. The strawberry-blond woman thought on how to spend the day before her birthday during the calm_.__I don't really want to go out but I also don't want to sit around and do nothing…What to do? What to do?_

Even as she was pondering that question her feet led her to her piano room. When the captain realized where she was, so did her two friends and they were quick to voice their opinions. _You should play for us again Light!__**Yeah Sunshine. It was nice hearing you sing. It made you more human.**_

Lightning snorted but complied with their request to sing. Instead of thinking directly of what she wanted to play, she allowed her fingers to start by themselves. She smiled when she realized what they were playing and then added her voice to the piano chords.

"_**Her heart underneath  
cries quietly  
this part of me  
I choose not to see.**_

_**What lives must I take**_  
_**for fealty's sake?**_  
_**How much blood must stain**_  
_**this warrior's blade?**_

_**War leaves its trail**_  
_**in moonlight so pale**_  
_**its shadows they flow**_  
_**in rivers, in rivers.**_  
_**So I put on my mask**_  
_**I'll go where they ask**_  
_**so I might once again see the**_  
_**Roses of May.**_

_**Staining my soul and stinging my eyes**_  
_**the red on my hands**_  
_**won't wash away, wash away**_  
_**Nowhere to run from what I have done**_  
_**I'm no longer, no longer**_  
_**a Rose of May.**_

_**Fate holds the blade before you**_  
_**mirrored in maiden's eyes**_  
_**far from myself I fly**_  
_**into the perilous skies.**_  
_**And they said**_  
_**follow the blade before you**_  
_**fear fall and courage rise**_  
_**leave all your tears behind you**_  
_**far from where innocence lies.**_

_**Cage of the kings**_  
_**No need for wings**_  
_**So turn them to stone**_  
_**From roses to bone**_

_**When you look at me**_  
_**what do you see?**_  
_**This costume I weave**_  
_**disfiguring me...**_

_**War leaves its trail**_  
_**in moonlight so pale**_  
_**its shadows they flow**_  
_**in rivers, in rivers.**_  
_**So I put on my mask**_  
_**I'll go where they ask**_  
_**so I might once again see the**_  
_**Roses of May.**_

_**Staining my soul and stinging my eyes**_  
_**the red on my hands**_  
_**won't wash away, wash away**_  
_**Nowhere to run from what I have done**_  
_**I'm no longer, no longer**_  
_**a Rose of May.**_

_**Storm clouds are creeping closer**_  
_**danger is drawing near**_  
_**why am I not protecting all that**_  
_**I once held dear?**_  
_**And you said**_  
_**break free from all that holds you**_  
_**king's hand and maiden's tear**_  
_**run now into my arms**_  
_**together we'll conquer our fears**_

_**Led here by fate**_  
_**No longer afraid**_  
_**So here now I lay**_  
_**My Roses of May…"**_

Light allowed her voice to fade away with the last lyrics. She had written that song about herself. About how she had dedicated her life to serving in the Corps to help Serah and the price that came with being a soldier. However, it could also be about anyone losing their innocence – that's what made it such a great song. _Wow, Light…You wrote that?_

The soldier smiled as she allowed her fingers to softly dance over the keys. "Yeah. I write a lot of songs. I just never really play them for anyone. I wrote that one a few months after the whole l'cie mess. You two are the first to ever hear it."

Silence and then, _**We're honored Light, that even if you don't have a choice in the matter, you choose to share this with us.**_

"Actually, I did have a choice. I could have not played at all." Light said softly. "You guys have earned at least the right to see me let my guard down."

_Thank you Light…Hey Light, do you think you could play some more?_

The woman allowed a small chuckle to escape. "If that's what you want…I think I'll play Serah's favorite."

So that was how the rest of the day went. Lightning played a song at Fang and Vanille's request before repeating the process. The soldier felt remarkably care-free as she crawled into bed that night. Singing had always been therapeutic for her. _Night, Fang, Vanille. __**Night Light.**_

* * *

_"I am sorry Master…But this woman –"_

"_**NO BUTS…YOU HAVE FAILED ME…FOR THAT YOU WILL STAY THERE…UNTIL I NEED YOU AGAIN."**_

_"Yes Master."_

The dark-haired Pulsian woman sighed as she leaned against the wall of her cell. She understood why her Master would leave her here but that woman had been something else. Supernatural even.

She gingerly reached up and touched her face, wincing as she remembered the blow that had knocked her out. Yes, that woman was indeed a force to be reckoned with. Even if her Master wouldn't listen to her, she would make sure to watch out for that woman.

* * *

Serah held Averia in the pre-dawn hours outside her sister's house. She glanced around seeing, Hope, Mr. Estheim, Snow, Sazh, and Dajh. The last three were yawning widely. Averia wasn't even awake. They were here early in hopes of surprising Lightning but as soon as the youngest Farron opened the door she knew that her sister was awake.

Indeed a few seconds after they moved into the giant reception hall Lightning appeared in the doorway that led to the dining room. Serah sighed. "I shouldn't be surprised that you're up this early, Light."

The soldier gave a ghost of a smile and shrugged. "You know that I don't really sleep in Serah."

The twenty-three year-old shook her head at her elder sister. "It still would've been nice to have been able to surprise you…Since you're up I assume that breakfast is ready."

Lightning nodded. "Of course. I might be bad with people but I'm not stupid enough to not have food ready when I'm expecting guests."

Serah shook her head and followed her sister into the dining room were a grand breakfast awaited them. Sometimes it surprised her how well her sister could cook since she didn't do it very often.

_Serah seemed sad._ Light kept concentrating on her breakfast, careful not show any reaction on her face. _That's because she's been trying to surprise me on my birthday for years. __**Would I be right in assuming that she's never managed it? **__Yeah, you would be. Now let me eat_.

The soldier returned her attention to her food before it could be called away from the foodstuffs again. Which Hope did shortly anyway. "Hey Light, what are we doing today?"

The lone Farron glanced up before shrugging and saying, "It might be my birthday, but it's Serah's party."

Everyone's eyes turned to the young mother who blushed. "You don't have to say that Light."

The twenty-six year-old shrugged again. "It's the truth."

Serah sighed. "You aren't very good with people."

Lightning glanced up from her food. "So I've been told…Multiple times, by multiple people…So what are we doing today little sister?"

Fang and Vanille were laughing at the sparring that happened between the two siblings. Serah spoke unaware that two incorporeal Pulsians were finding this day to be very entertaining. "Well, we're going to go to the park to have a picnic and hang out before coming back here to have dinner."

Light stood and began gathering dishes. "Sounds like a plan."

Hope, Sazh, and Snow all quickly intercepted the woman and her load before she could start cleaning her gathered plates and silverware. Hope smirked as he said. "Nuh-uh. You sit back down. You aren't going to do the dishes on your birthday."

The soldier returned to her seat finding that she was dreading what the rest of the day was going to bring. Fang and Vanille simply seemed to find her dread – and the very idea that Light obeyed anyone – hilarious.

* * *

Lightning grimaced as she adjusted the pack that rested on her shoulders. She glanced around at her companions, sighing when she saw only two others with supplies for this picnic on their backs. _Even though it's my birthday, I still end up working. _

Pausing, she watched Snow and Hope talk about velocycles, adjusting their packs slightly. Everyone else was either too old, too young, or someone who Light wouldn't let carry some of the supplies – namely Serah. It didn't mean that she couldn't glare at everyone else who wasn't carrying one. _**Come on Light. It's not that bad. **__Yeah, I mean, you're a super soldier girl, that pack should be nothing to you!_

_Do you really not understand the meaning of _silence_? Or are you just pretending to forget to drive me insane?_

A fearsome scowl darkened Lightning's face as she spoke – well, technically _thought_ – to her two crystallized companions.

_Silence? Sure I know what it means – but why would I pay any attention?__** I agree with Vanille you really should know better than to doubt our wisdom. I mean, if **_**we**_** weren't driving you nuts than someone else would be. It's your way Light.**_

A low growl escaped from behind clenched teeth at that._ Well, maybe you should learn to shut up. It's a nice skill to have._ The soldier was so focused on chastising the l'cie that she did not notice her family's concerned glances. At least, until Serah voiced that concern.

"Light?" Icy blue eyes snapped to compassionate cerulean. It was a testament to Serah's trust in her sister that she didn't flinch away automatically. In fact the young woman stepped closer. "Are you okay? You seem…a little out of sorts."

Lightning immediately smoothed her expression into the icy detached expression she was known for. "I'm fine." She snapped. And almost instantly regretted it as she saw her sister flinch slightly. The soldier softened her tone, "Really Serah, I'm fine. I guess I just didn't get enough sleep."

The younger Farron looked her sister over before nodding slowly and continued to walk towards their intended destination. _Great now she thinks I'm lying…which I am. Thanks guys, that's great just great. _

_**Oh, come on Sunshine. Its not our fault that you can't contain you emotions! **__Yeah! You should totally go back to being an emotionless ice chunk! You were much more fun then!_

…_If you weren't both crystallized I'd strangle you. Hell, I _still_ might strangle you._

The two Pulsians laughed uproariously in Light's head but this time the soldier was careful to control her annoyance.

_Really, Light? You'd really strangle sweet innocent me?__** And me? The woman who let you hit her all the time?**_

_If it got you two to shut up, then yes, yes I would. _

Vanille and Fang laughed some more and quieted down substantially but continued to banter lightheartedly between themselves. Ten minutes later the small group arrived at a secluded part of the NEGs for their picnic. The New Eden Gardens were spectacularly beautiful and according to former residents of Eden were twice as splendid as the originals due to the vast array of flora present.

The funny thing about the gardens was that they were actually in the middle of the Palumpolum district, but simply because Eden had been known for its gardens they were stuck as the NEGs. Another interesting fact was that the gardens took up quite a bit of space. Enough of it that the entirety of old Bodhum could fit within there confines.

Light had to hand it to the two friends in her head. If not for them, the trip would have felt like it had taken far longer and also would have put Light in a far worse mood despite the fact that she was doing a very accurate representation of a thunderstorm cloud earlier. Of course she'd never tell the two irritating Pulsians that.

Unpacking the supplies that Serah had carefully packed was easy enough, and the kids instantly dived into the food. The "kids" were Hope, Sazh, and Snow. Dajh and Averia were content to wait there turn.

After the first few minutes of the feeding frenzy the kids calmed down enough for everyone else to get some delicious munchies. Then when everyone was finished eating the group spent the time catching up.

Averia and Hope talked about their schooling and how it was progressing. Everyone was especially awed at Averia as she could already read and write and she was barely two. Sazh and Dajh discussed how the different settlements were going up away from New Cocoon. Hope's dad spoke of how the New Council was discussing some changes to be made in the infrastructure of the city with a mixture of pride and annoyance. He didn't like some of the propositions. Snow spoke of his adventures with NORA. Serah didn't really say anything she merely sat there with a small smile on her face watching her sister and daughter.

Because Lightning _wasn't_ talking about how her life was going. She was content to just play with her niece. Eventually all the talking died and everyone just watched the soldier act like a little kid with Averia. After realizing that no one was talking any more Light glanced over at the group and raised her eyebrow.

"And you Light?" Serah was the only one comfortable enough to ask her sister to open up.

The soldier shrugged. "My life's fine. You guys are happy…and so am I. There isn't really anymore to want is there?"

Smiles erupted across their faces, all except Dajh and Hope. Dajh because he had fallen asleep, Hope just looked…unhappy.

"You disagree Hope?"

The boy shook his head and proceeded to stare at his feet. "No, it's just…I wish Fang and Vanille were here."

The soldier heard the two Pulsians fall silent in her head. She thought for a moment, than responded to Hope's statement. "They are." His head shot up to look at Light. "Maybe not physically but Fang and Vanille will always be with us, inside of our hearts."

_For me that phrase is far more literal than for others._ Lighting thought with a slight smile. _Gee, you make us sound like disease Light.__** Yeah, what's with that?**_

"Thanks Light."

The soldier nodded to Hope and went back to playing with Averia. She ignored the two crystallized l'cie in her head for the rest of the day, simply enjoying the time spent with her family. Much to Fang and Vanille's annoyance, they couldn't even get her to start scowling again.

As Lighting laid down to sleep that night she smiled. It hadn't been a terrible birthday after all. Then again nothing could beat the disaster that was her twenty-first. _Good night you guys. __**Oh, look, the Soldier is finally not ignoring us. **__Yeah! _

Rolling her eyes, Light flipped over and closed her eyes hearing a chorus of _Good nights_ in her head as she drifted off to sleep.

* * *

**_So...I bet you thought I was dead right? Sorry 'bout that. I've been kinda busy and lacking in the inspiration department. The good news is that I am now re-obsessed with FFXIII so I might actually start writing more and having more updates. I make no promises though because, well, I'm a terrible person. The only promise I can make is that I'll finish this story...Eventually. I've even planned out the plot (and I never do that). It looks like this will end around 28 chapters plus the prologue and epilogue. Hopefully some people are still reading this despite my long hiatus. _**

**_The song in this chapter is called_ Rose of May _by a brilliant artist on youtube called _katethegreat19._ Here's part of the url. Just add the normal youtube address in front of it. _ watch?v=bNHtbw4Kyf0 _  
_**

**_Also since I am too lazy to go back and edit the song titles of the old chapters in here they are:_  
**

**Listen to Your Heart (Edmee's Unplugged Vocal Edit)_ by D.H.T. This song was in Chapter_ _Three_.  
Never Alone _by Barlow Girl. This song was in Chapter Seven._  
**

**_If you guys want, I can also put a completed list up at the end of this story...Though it might take several years to actually finish this thing. And finally:_**

**_Thanks to everyone who has reviewed, subscribed, or favorited this story! I really appreciate it even if I haven't updated in forever!_**


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